This invention relates generally to a device for practicing fly fishing, and more particularly to a fly fishing device which employs a magnetized, conducting plate as a target area for practicing fly casting and for amusement purposes.
Various types of games or practice devices which use magnets at the end of fishing lines to catch toy fish are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 464,391 (Samuels); U.S. Pat. No. 484,950 (Dungey); and U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,672 (Lang).
Other patents which show the use of hooks on the ends of lines to catch fish include U.S. Pat. No. 2,848,232 (Waddell); U.S. Pat. No. 420,149 (Elson); U.S. Pat. No. 1,551,685 (O'Brien); and U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,194 (Rubens et al.). Still other devices which comprise games for the practicing of casting are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,439 (Kraemer), which discloses a line with a target in a wedge at the end of the line; U.S. Pat. No. 2,320,145 (LaDue) which discloses a target fish used in a stream with actual fishing tackle for fly casting contests; U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,494 (Stroh) which uses a part of a simulated fish attached to a casting line with the other part of the fish installed on the target which includes springs to simulate the actual retrieval of fish; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,136 (Land) which discloses engaging material at the end of a line for casting practice to hook in artificial fish.
However, none of the existing games or practice devices incorporate the use of an electrical circuit which provides audio and/or visual signals when the simulated fly at the end of the line hits a magnetized target plate, as does the present invention.